If Angela Carter had known what was going to happen, she wouldn’t have bought her Kia Optima.
The 49-year-old woman was cooking up a bowl of chili after returning home from her morning shift helping patients at an addiction recovery center. He left his home on the west side of Indianapolis to grab some items from his car.
He was gone.
“It just disappeared,” Carter said. “In broad daylight, it was stolen.”
Thieves targeted Carter’s car, a 2015 model, because it didn’t have an anti-theft measure standard on other vehicles. They were able to start the car and drive away moments after getting inside, security footage from Carter’s home showed.
Thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles have become a common problem across the country in recent years. Now police are warning residents that the trend has reached Indianapolis.
While vehicle thefts in the city are down 12 percent in 2023, thefts of certain Kia and Hyundai models are up this year, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
In January, 19% of all vehicles stolen in the city were Kia or Hyundai models. By comparison, these vehicles accounted for only 4% of all vehicles stolen from August 2021 to January 2022.
Indianapolis police have reached out to other cities that have previously seen a significant increase in burglaries to figure out how to curb the problem, a department Facebook post says.
From Milwaukee:More than 11,500 vehicles were stolen in the Milwaukee area in 2021. The trend doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.
Videos have been circulating on social media showing how you can remove the steering column of some Hyundai and Kia vehicles and use a USB cable to start the cars. The videos have made the problem worse across the country.
In Milwaukee, where the trend may have started, the problem has become so prevalent that police are using decoy cars to try to catch thieves. Cincinnati attorney Jeffrey Goldenberg filed a class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai seeking compensation and repairs for vehicle owners.
Target vehicles are 2011-21 Kia models and 2015-21 Hyundai models. Some auto insurance companies refuse to insure the vehicles, according to police.
Many of them lack electronic immobilizers that prevent thieves from breaking in and turning the ignition. The feature has been standard on nearly all vehicles made by other companies since 2015, according to the Road Loss Data Institute.
From Cincinnati:Kia and Hyundai thefts: Greater Cincinnati car owners file class action lawsuit
Stolen Kia recovered with flat tires, damaged ignition
The day after he was robbed, Carter saw someone driving his vehicle down the street. She and her roommate followed and called 911, but the suspects fled before police arrived.
When he recovered, his car had two flat tires, a cracked front end, a missing antenna and a damaged ignition. It’s in the shop and Carter doesn’t know how long it will be there as replacement parts are on order.
His vehicle was full of clothes and shoes while he was looking for a new apartment before his car was stolen. Most of these items are gone, along with the cherished tokens acquired during Carter’s road to sobriety.
“My car was like my other house on wheels,” Carter said. “I took care of it and kept up the maintenance and oil changes and everything.”
He wishes someone had informed him that Kias were being targeted by thieves. He’s looking forward to trading in the vehicle once it’s fixed, Carter said.
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“I’m not too mad, but I’m very disappointed,” Carter said. “This is a problem I didn’t even know was spreading. It’s disheartening.”
Helen Gardner, who lives on the north side of Indianapolis, is still waiting for her vehicle to be found after it was stolen on February 5th. The woman’s 2017 Kia Soul was parked on the street in front of her home when it was taken overnight.
“Someone also tried to steal the Kia in January,” Gardner said. “If it’s just going to be stolen again, I’m not sure we really want it back.”
What models are they targeting?
Higher-end versions of Kia and Hyundai vehicles that come with electronic immobilizers aren’t targeted by thieves as often, data from the Highway Loss Data Institute shows.
Many less expensive versions of the vehicles lack anti-theft devices, making them prime targets.
Data on theft claims shows that the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Sonata versions were the most stolen, but other models, such as Hyundai Tucsons and Kia Fortes and Optimas, also had high theft rates.
What Kia and Hyundai say
Both companies acknowledged that thieves target some of their vehicles that don’t have immobilizer anti-theft devices, in statements to IndyStar.
Kia and Hyundai are also offering free steering wheel locks to customers through select law enforcement agencies nationwide.
The companies are developing software updates that will be free for affected customers to prevent theft of the targeted vehicles. Neither company gave a firm date for when the software updates would be available, but said the updates would be coming soon.
All 2022 Kia models have an immobilizer, while Hyundai rolled out the anti-theft feature as standard from November 2021.
Hyundai owners can also take their vehicles to a local dealer to purchase and install a custom safety kit. The safety kit cost $170, according to Forbes.
Made in Indiana:Toyota’s Indiana plant unveiled its newest SUV to the world this week. Here’s a look.
How to protect your Kia and Hyundai from theft
Indianapolis police shared the following tips:
- Install a steering wheel locking device
- Install quality video surveillance cameras and alarms
- Install a GPS tracking device
- Leave the porch lights on
- Call the police about suspicious people
- Close all windows and doors
- Never leave the car running
- Establish relationships with neighbors and business colleagues
- Contact dealers about anti-theft options for the vehicle
- Keep information such as make, model, model year, license plate and VIN readily available in case your vehicle is stolen.
Anyone with information about people involved in Kia or Hyundai vehicle thefts in Indianapolis is asked to report anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.
